Roquan Smith might not have signed a deal with the Bears, but he’s already cashing in on jersey sales.
Despite the Bears first-rounder unsigned status and absence from training camp, Smith is still one of the team’s most popular players.
Smith, the eighth overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, is the third-most popular Bears jersey and No. 16 best-selling jersey among the league’s defensive players, according to a DICK’S Sporting Goods jersey report.
Mitch Trubisky, who has the fifth-most popular jersey overall in the NFL, leads the team in merchandise sales. Wide receiver Allen Robinson has the second-most popular on the team (No. 61 overall).
Smith’s jersey being popular is sort of silly in a sense. He’s missed five practices as of Wednesday — and will likely miss more — due to a contract impasse.
As the Sun-Times previously reported, the sides remain at a stalemate regarding the finer details of the contract that is expected to pay Smith roughly $18.5 million over four years. Some of the issues include offset language (which decreases the Bears’ financial responsibility if Smith is cut and signs with another team) and cash flow (the timing of signing-bonus payouts).
